The country’s high housing costs are pushing many Canadians to the brink, including a significant number of immigrants who say they’re thinking of leaving either their current province or Canada altogether.
That’s according to new survey findings from the Angus Reid Institute.
The results found that housing costs have left nearly 30% of Canadians considering relocation.
“This sentiment is evidently higher in BC and Ontario, which have been dealing with high housing costs for longer than other regions in the country,” noted the research institute in a release.
Specifically, respondents from those provinces’ largest cities are feeling the pressure to leave. Over two in every five respondents from Toronto and one-third from Vancouver said they were looking to move due to high housing costs.
Angus Reid Institute / Screenshot
New immigrants (who have come to the country within the past 10 years) were more likely to say they were “seriously thinking” of leaving their current province, as nearly two in five (39%) expressed that sentiment.
Three in ten immigrants who had been in the country for 11 years or more also shared the same view.
But it’s not just high housing costs pushing Canadians to consider moving.
Respondents who said they weren’t thinking of leaving their province due to housing costs were asked follow-up questions about other factors influencing their decision to possibly go elsewhere.
Angus Reid Institute / Screenshot
Some (8%) said they would want to leave to find a better quality of life, and 11% expressed they were looking to move due to the high cost of living, to be closer to family, or to access better healthcare.
Leaving Canada for good?
Of those who said they were considering moving due to high housing costs, 45% said they would look to move elsewhere in Canada.
Over two in five (42%) said they were thinking of moving to another country, with 15% of those respondents saying they’d prefer the US and 27% expressing they’d like to relocate elsewhere.
Those looking to relocate within Canada were more inclined to move to Alberta (18%) or to Atlantic Canada (10%).
Angus Reid Institute / Screenshot
Notably, younger Canadians showed more interest in moving to the US as nearly 20% aged 35 and under said they would live in the States if high housing costs continue.
When it comes to immigrants, those who have been living in Canada for over 11 years were more likely to say they wanted to move “somewhere abroad.”
Angus Reid Institute / Screenshot
Immigrants who have been in Canada for under 10 years shared a different sentiment, as 50% said they were looking to relocate somewhere within the country.
Despite many Canadians feeling concerned about the cost of housing, the poll also found that the majority of respondents (53%) still believe the problem is solvable and will improve in the “next few years.” However, 40% said they disagreed and doubted that any significant changes to housing affordability would occur in the near future.
Are you considering leaving Canada due to the high cost of housing? Get in touch with us at [email protected] and we may reach out for a potential story.